Combined follower and coupler supporting means



Del; 1933- J. F. OCONNQR COMBINED FOLLOWE'R AND COUPLER SUPPORTING MEANS Filed Jan. 14, 1951 Irwe/uar Patented Dec. 19, 1933 COMBINED FOLLOWER AND COUPLER SUPPORTING MEANS John F. OConnor, Chicago, Ill., assignor to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application January 14, 1931. Serial No. 508,622

Claims. (01. 213-61) This invention relates to improvements in combined follower and coupler supporting means.

The main object of the invention is to pro- 5 vide a combined main follower and coupler supporting slide for railway draft riggings, wherein the slide which supports the coupler shank is detachably connected to the follower and has the outer end thereof overhanging the usual carry iron to support the coupler closely adjacent the head thereof to prevent drooping of the latter and maintain alinement of the shank of the coupler with the other parts of the railway draft rigging.

Other objects of the clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following. 7

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1. is a horizontal, longitudinal, sectional view through the underframe structure of a railway car,'at one end thereof, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view correspondingsubstantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a transverse, verticaL'sectional view corresponding to the line ,33 of Figure 2. And Figure 4 is an enlarged, detailed view broken away, showing the connection between the main follower and the supporting shelf or slide, the portion of the follower being 'shown in vertical section. In said drawing, 10-10 designate channel- --,shaped center or draft sills of the railway car underframe structure, to the inner sides of which are secured front stop lugs 1111 and rear stop lugs 1212. The front stop lugs 11 are-shown as formed integral with a striking casting13, which is secured to the draft sills and has a detachable carry iron section 14 of well known form. Thecoupler of the railway draft rigging is designated by 15 and is connected to a yoke member 16 of the vertical type, by means of a coupler key 17. The yoke as shown is of the hooded type having spaced vertical side walls 37-37 and top and bottom walls 1818 connecting the side walls. As most clearly shown in Figure 2, the top and bottom walls converge outwardly of the yoke, and the side walls 1'l17 are provided with alined 5o coupler key receiving slots 19-49. The stop lugs 1111 are also provided with coupler key guide slots 20--20, which are reinforced by flanges surrounding the same, said flanges being seated in openings provided in the vertical webs of the draft sills 10-40. The key 17 of the coupler extends through a transverse slot 21 of the coupler shank and engages within the slots 19l9'of the yoke and has the outer ends invention will more known type is disposedwithin the yoke. present instance, a friction shock absorbing mechanism is illustrated, comprising a 'casing 22 having the friction shell section thereof disposed at the forward end. The usual friction shoes 2323 and wedge member 24 cooperate with the friction shell. As will be understood, inward movement of the friction shoes and wedge is resisted by the usual spring means disposed within the casing 22.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a front follower member A in the form of a substantially rectangular heavy plate-like member having an opening or slot 25 at the bottom thereof, said slot being of lesser width than the follower and located centrally thereof, as clearly indicated in Figure 3. At the rear side above the slot 25 the follower is provided with aseat 26, defining an anchoring or retaining ledge 27. The follower is interposed between the wedge member 24 of the friction shock absorbing mechanism and the butt end of the coupler shank, and cooperates with the front stop lugs 1111 in the usual manner. The follower A has a supporting shelf or slide B detachably connected thereto, the slide being in the form of an elongated fiat plate having a downwardly offset section 28 at the rear end thereof, which is. engaged within the slot 25 of the follower. The offset section 28 terminates in a hook-like portion 29, the end of which is rounded, as indicated in Figure 4, and said rounded portion is seated in the pocket 26 of the follower. The connecting section between themain body of the plate B and the offset section 28 is indicated by 30 and is slightly curved, as shown in Figure 4. In order to facilitate assembling of the plate 13 with the follower A, the follower is cut away at the forward side, adjacent the slot 25, to provide a rounded surface portion 31, which is of the same curvature as the connecting section 30 of the slide or shelf B. The free end of the slide or shelfB is at all times supported on the carry iron member 14, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, and serves to support the coupler shank closely adjacent the head of the coupler.

In assembling the parts of the combined'follower and supporting member, the hook portion at the rear end of the plate B is engaged within the seat 26 of the follower in the manner shown in Figure 4. After the parts have been thus engaged, the free en'd of the slide or plate Bis swung upwardly until the plate assumes the horizontal position illustrated in Figure 2, whereupon the follower and supporting slide or shelf are, anchoredto each other for movement in unison. After the follower and slide have'been assembled in the manner specified, the same are inserted laterally within the yoke and the slide is brought in alinement with the opening In the attached supporting slide. shock absorbing mechanism from within the front end of the same clears the rear buffing stroke thereof.

through-the hood of the yoke. The parts are then moved forwardly in the yoke and the shock absorbing mechanism placed within the yoke to the rear of the follower A. The assembled parts are then placed between the draft sills, it beingunderstood that the carry iron 1a is detached at this time. After the parts have been properly positioned between the draft sills and the coupler connected to the yoke by means of the key 1'7,

the carry iron 14 is secured in position and 'a' saddle plate, which is indicated by 33, is attached to the draft sills beneath the shock absorbing mechanism. In removing the follower and slide, the procedure is substantially the reverse of that hereinbefore described, the carry iron and saddle plate being first detached to permit removal of the coupler, yoke, shock absorbing mechanism, together with the front follower, and the After removal of the yoke, the slide B is pushed inwardly until the end portions of the side walls of the hood, whereupon the slide together with the follower A may be removed by lateral displacement from within the yoke. The slide is then detached from the follower by swinging the same down- 'wardly to the position shown in Figure 4,

whereupon the same may be readily' disengaged. As will be evident, the slide, together with the follower, may be replaced at any time, and in case it is found desirable to replace only one of these parts a new follower or slide, as the case may be, may be readily attached to the outer part and the assembled follower and slide applied to the railway draft rigging, as hereinbefore described.

In the operation of my improved device, the front follower and slide will be moved inwardly in unison with the coupler during a bufiing action. As will be clear, upon reference to Figure 1, the length of the slide B is such that the same will still engage over the carry iron member 14 when the front follower and the attached slide 7 are displaced inwardly to the full extent of the In a draft action, the front follower and the attached slide all remain stationary and will be in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 during'the entire draft movement of the coupler. Inasmuch as the front end of the slide B normally extends closely adjacent to the coupler head and outwardly of the carry iron, although the coupler is pulled outwardly in draft with respect to the slide, the latter will furnish ample support to prevent drooping of the coupler head'and maintain the alinement of the coupler shank with the other parts of the draft rigging.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

, 1. A combined follower and coupler shank support including: a plate-like follower member having a slot at the bottom thereof extending therethrough, said plate having'an anchoring ledge at the rear side thereof above said slot;

and a horizontal supporting shelf for the shank of the coupler, said shelf having the inner end coupler having a keyed connection with the yoke;

portion thereof accommodated in the slot of the follower member, and having shouldered engagement with said ledge to anchor the shelf to said follower member, said shelf being of such a length as to engage over the usual carry iron of the railway draft rigging when the follower is moved inwardly to its full extent in buff.

2. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with a carry iron at the end of the car; of a coupler; a yoke operatively connected to the coupler; said yoke having a bottom arm; a shock absorbing mechanism within the yoke; a front main follower plate interposed between the coupler shank and the shock absorbing mechanism and movable inwardly of the yoke; and a supporting shelf detachably connected to the follower plate, said shelf extending forwardly and having its end portion guided on the carry iron and overlapping the carry iron in all operative positions of the mechanism, said shelf suporting the coupler shank forwardly of the connection thereof with the yoke, the inner end of said shelf being interposed between the lower armof the yoke and the follower and having shouldered engagement with the latter to lock said shelf to said follower.

3. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with a carry iron at the end of the car; of ayoke having a bottom arm; a

a shock absorbing mechanism within the yoke; a main front follower within the yoke and movable inwardly of the latter; a supporting shelf for the coupler shank; and means for anchoring said shelf to the follower including interengaging integral formations on said follower and shelf respectively holding said follower and shelf against relative movement lengthwise of the mechanism, said shelf resting on the bottom arm of the yoke to hold'the shelf engaged with said follower, said shelf extending forwardly from the follower and having the outer 'end portion thereof guided on the carry iron.

4. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a combined follower and coupler shank support including a platelike follower member having a supporting ledge at the bottom portion thereof and a coupler shank supporting slide having a portion disposed beneath said follower, said portion terminating in a hook section having shouldered engagement with said ledge to anchor the slide to said platelike member; of means on which the inner end of said slide is carried for holding said hook section engaged with the follower member.

5. A combined follower and coupler shank support including a rectangular, platelike main follower member, said main follower having a seat at the rear side adjacent to the bottom thereof, thereby providing a supporting ledge, said follower also having an abutment face at its forward side, and a coupler shank supporting shelf having a hooked inner end and an upstanding shoulder forwardly of the ledge, said supporting shelf, when in horizontal position with said hooked end engaged in said seat and said upstanding shoulder bearing on said abutmerit face of the follower, being anchored to the follower with the hook'in shouldered engagement with the ledge.

JOHN F. OCONNOR. 

